Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Tanzanian Commonwealth Games tennis player still missing in Australia, says govt

In Summary

Earlier on Tuesday, AFP reported that a number of them had resurfaced, seeking asylum status in Australia.

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By Majuto Omary @majutoy2k momary@tz.nationmedia.com

Dar es Salaam. The government has not yet received information on the whereabouts of Fathiya Pazi, a Tanzanian table tennis player among 13 African athletes who went missing in Gold Coast, Australia, after the climax of the Commonwealth Games in April. Pazi was the only Tanzanian.Earlier on Tuesday, AFP reported that a number of them had resurfaced, seeking asylum status in Australia.Sports Development Director in the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports Mr Yusuph Singo told The Citizen on Tuesday that they were yet to get any information from Australia and he believed that security organs there were still searching for her.Singo who was the head of the delegation of Tanzanian athletes in the Commonwealth Games said they have made some efforts in trying to find Fathiya by contacting her father, who said that he knew nothing about the matter. The government has also contacted her mother’s family, denied knowing anything about the matter.“We are yet to be informed of the matter. I cannot say that Fathiya is among the athletes who resurfaced and sought asylum status in Australia. Let’s wait and see what will happen,” said Singo.Tanzania Table Tennis Association (TTTA) Secretary General Masoud Mtalaso also said they had not been informed of the matter.Mtalaso echoed the efforts made by the Sports Development Director’s office to get any information about the player’s whereabouts as they were still in the dark.“I cannot confirm on her whereabouts. We are yet to be informed about her and efforts are still made to find her,” said Mtalaso.Read more: TOC expresses concern over missing TZ player

AFP had reported that the Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS) group in Sydney said it had received enquiries from several of them but declined to reveal the exact number or the countries of origin."Every person who seeks asylum in Australia should be subject to the same thorough investigation of their claims, be they students, visitors, workers or athletes," RACS solicitor Sarah Dale said in a statement.